When Peter the Great went to England in 1697, (working as a shipwright in the dockyards at Deptford), he paid a visit to William III, whom he had met before at the Hague. In taking his final leave Peter fumbled for a moment in his waistcoat pocket and drew therefrom a small parcel wrapped in a shabby scrap of dirty brown paper. This he pressed into the hand of King William. It contained a ruby worth fifty thousand dollars.

It was on this occasion, too, that Peter supposedly took from his pocket a small object wrapped in brown paper which he gave to the King as a token of friendship and appreciation. William unwrapped it, the story goes, and found a magnificent uncut diamond. Another account says that it was a huge, rough ruby fit to be “set upon the top of the Imperial Crown of England.”

On Peter's departure, the king made him a present of a ship, and, in return, received a ruby valued at £10,000, which is now in the imperial crown of England.

His master (the Tzar) gave the King's servants, at his departure, one hundred and twenty guineas, which was more than they deserved, they being very rude to him; but to the King he presented a rough ruby, which the greatest jewellers of Amsterdam (as well Jews as Christians) valued at ten thousand pounds sterling. "Tis bored through, and when it is cut and polished, it must be set upon the top of the imperial crown of England." With plain downright simplicity and free from all ostentation Peter carried this valuable ruby to the king in his waistcoat pocket, and presented it wrapped up in a piece of brown paper.

Tenth, the rich crown of state which his majesty wears on his throne in parliament. It is embellished with divers large rose and table diamonds, and other precious stones; but most remarkable for a wonderful large ruby set in the middle of one of the crosses, valued at ten thousand pounds and upwards: as also for the large emerald which is seven inches round; a pearl, the finest in the world; and a ruby of inestimable value.

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This is amazing - thank you so much. As you say Sandford mentions the stone on the crown in 1687. But it is a coincidence and I will check dates etc...